Bugboys mission

[bugboy]

June 2023

Wednesday 21st was the start of another few days off work, a fortuitous decision in hindsight as it turned out. Today I decided on a multi-site trip, starting off at Bookham to see what was going on there and then spending a few hours at Fairmile Common.

At Bookham it was relatively quiet to start with, Large Skippers and Meadow Browns plus a few Speckled Wood were all that I found, still it was quite early and still a little cool.

A couple of Red Admirals were limbering up on the rides, honing their Purple Emperor impressions ready for the oncoming season (which would arrive much sooner than I expected) but I was eager to see if any of their White cousins around. I was a little concerned last year after seeing all the Honeysuckle burn to a crisp before any of the WA cats could make it to hibernation stage. It would seem some did manage to somehow evade the heatwave, I found four or five sailing around one of the clearings that’s used every year. I also saw my first Silver-washed Fritillary of the year but they skilfully avoided the camera!

I also bumped into a chap who informed me that the first Purple Emperor had been seen down at Knepp the day before! I had half a mind to go and crane my neck at the master tree but decided to wait a few days for that and left to make my way to find some Silver-studded Blue. I hadn’t got very far though when I had a surprise sitting on the path in front of me. I saw him from quite a distance, too far away to be certain at first but he let me get off a few record shots as I crept closer. Unfortunately, he wasn’t plugged into anything nasty and was too skittish for a close encounter, the only glimpse of the royal colours were as he glided under my nose before disappearing up into the trees, if he had fingers I’m pretty sure one would have been used at me!

I did hang around hoping he’d return but in the end I left, vowing to return the next day.

[MrSp0ck]

Put me down as very doubtful.

If the female "went un-noticed", what possible evidence could be available?

Her offspring would be though as they were seen hatching.

[bugboy]

June 2023

Wednesday 21st cont. An hour and half later I was at Fairmile Common. Last year the Silver-studded Blue here had a stinker of a season, in two visits I still didn’t get close to reaching double figures combined. Today was a definite improvement. It was more cloud than sun, just about the right combination to make finding them easy but keeping them quiet enough to make taking their pictures easy too.

Quite early on I stumbled upon a female who during a brighter spell was busy laying eggs. She was using some of the lush fresh growth of Gorze that had been cut back, presumably over the winter. The wet spring and summer had created an amply supply of her chosen LHP.

A little while later I came across another female who had been located by a male. He started off by just sitting nearby, silently fixated on her.

Then he pounced and from the get-go he was on the back foot. She was very unimpressed by his attention and made no bones about showing her displeasure, giving his ego a real beating!

[Wurzel]

Lovely set of Silver-stud shots Bugboy I saw a few of these failed courtships - the females make it very clear that they're not interested

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Good to know your local SSB numbers have recovered, Paul. I hope you got a lengthier audience with the Emperor when you made a return visit.

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel , They’re a little more bolshy than most females aren’t they, no wonder he sat and waited before pouncing, no doubt summoning up the courage
Thanks David, I did

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June 2023

Thursday 22nd. After the taster of things to come the day before I returned to Bookham to see if the Emperor would be faithful to his spot or if some others were around. A horse had made a helpful deposit close to where I found it yesterday but the only thing this attracted was a White Admiral.

I met up with Millerd shortly after, unsurprisingly he was eager to join in the hunt after I told him of my brief encounter the day before.

Despite the initial lack of the Big Purple One we still had a few nice surprises waiting for us as the morning progressed, the first of which was an unusual appearance from a Dark Green Fritillary, my first of the season. They do occasionally wander in, they are after all very numerous at nearby Box Hill, but this is the first one I’ve ever seen here. We came across (probably) the same one in a clearing within the woods later in the morning, perched up high on some Brambles.

I also managed my first shot of a Silver-washed Fritillary of the year, albeit a rather distant shot of the uncooperative individual.

Purple Hairstreaks were starting to emerge too, and the early start meant we came across some nice fresh emergent. Neither opened up but with the soft dove grey, hints of pinky purple and subtle irridescsence on display, you can’t really complain!

It was shortly after the second Hairstreak and after exchanging words with another Emperor hunter who had seen none that I nearly stepped on the target. I didn’t really say anything coherent to alert Dave to the butterfly a couple of inches from my foot, just random excited utterances. The Emperor himself was completely oblivious to the size 8 next to him, having plugged himself in to a small nugget of nastiness. I managed some nice undersides but only the merest hint of purple when he obliged us with some upperside.

Another successful morning, two Emperors in the bag already and still a week to go before July!

Since it was only just past midday we decided to explore a couple of other nearby sites Dave and I often frequent.

[millerd]

That was a great curtain-raiser for my Emperor season, Paul - I'm glad you spotted the butterfly before you trod on it! Even so, my abiding memories of the visit to Bookham were actually the unexpected DGF and that scale-perfect Purple Hairstreak. He really was a corker.

Cheers,

Dave

[Wurzel]

Fantastic Emperor Bugboy (I have a feeling I might need to hold some of these in reserve ) That Purp Hairstreak is none too shabby either

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

That Purple Hairstreak is mint, Paul, with that lustre only recent emergees possess.

[bugboy]

Thanks Dave , it was a particularly good day filled with some marvellous butterflies
Thanks Wurzel, you may be correct to hold a few back…
Yes, I think we caught him just after his first short maiden voyage David .

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June 2023

Thursday 22nd cont. At Denbies and later on Box Hill we found mostly Marbled White and Dark Green Fritillary, at least they were the species we concentrated on, the former were significantly easier to get close to! This first MW at Denbies, with her prominent hindwing ocelli, seems to fit ab. ocellata.

and at Box Hill

Now it looked like the Emperor season was well underway, it was time to put my new found access to Chiddingfold to good use!

[bugboy]

June 2023

Friday 23rd. With Purple Emperors on the ground two days in a row at Bookham, it was a no brainer to try my luck at Chiddingfold. I got there at around 10.30 and took a slow wander up to the triangle. It was still a bit cool and mostly overcast but it was relatively thin cloud. In the initial absence of anything Purple I found some Large Skippers slowly warming up as the sun tried to burn through the cloud cover.

However, I didn’t have to wait long. Wandering along the path south through Tugley wood I saw a familiar shape shuffling around ahead of me. Checking there were no dog walkers/joggers around I quickly took a few record shots and then set about the step, shoot, step, shoot technique as I inched my way towards my quarry.

He was a bit fidgety, there was nothing much to keep his attention other than a slightly damp path but stealth won and I was finally allowed to stand over him to get the full purple regalia.

Inevitably, with nothing nasty to stick his face into, the encounter was short lived and he flew off, returning occasionally to shuffle along the path further away from me but he never allowed another close approach.

Further along the path White Admirals were doing their best to distract me but I wasn’t going to be fooled!

I eventually bumped into a couple of other pairs of enthusiasts and upon chatting to them briefly at the triangle, pointing to where I’d seen my one, we went our separate ways in the ongoing search, each taking a separate path. My chosen path, back towards Botany Bay proved to be a lucky choice (for me), just as the others were out of sight, I disturbed another one who had found something in the grassy verge of the path. Unfortunately, having disturbed him, he was reticent to sit still again so I had to make do with snatched shots as he led me along the path.

I hung around for couple of hours but no more showed themselves. A Red Admiral did his best, complete with poo, and a few of the first brood Wood Whites were busy depositing the last of their eggs and to complete a Skipper sandwich, a Small Skipper was the last butterfly I pointed my camera at.

But lets end with Purple !

Had I not already made plans for the next day, I’d have definitely returned and kept Millerd company with his magnificent seven. However in hindsight, had I known what was waiting for me the next day, it would have been a very tough decision to make !

[millerd]

Nice one, Paul. I wonder if either of those butterflies reappeared the following day when I was down there, or whether they were another two? Good to see so many down at Chiddingfold again.

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

Excellent work, Paul. That last image is the gold-standard one. It takes patience and fieldcraft to get into a position directly above the insect and your slow movements clearly did the trick,

[Wurzel]

" with her prominent hindwing ocelli, seems to fit ab. ocellata." I'd not even considered Marbled White abs

Good job I kept a few of these ready quadruple purple I think I need to give up on the west and head east for Emperors next year

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Dave, I reckon at least one of mine must have been amongst the seven you saw!
Thanks David, always nice to be standing over royalty !
Haha, have I seeded a new obsession Wurzel. Hope you haven’t used up those green faces, I still have a purple adventure yet to post !


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June 2023

Saturday 24th. Gloucestershire was the destination today, more specifically, Daneway Bank. That should be clue enough to lead you to the days target, and I was in for a treat! First a few also rans.

One of several mating pairs seen, this females wings were still very floppy.

It started off overcast but not especially cold and roosting Blues became relatively easy to find as wings started creaking open.

By 10 the air had warmed enough for some to become active and start breakfasting and as the morning progressed more and more showed themselves as the cloud broke. Many of my previous visits I’ve been happy to hit a total of five after the whole day, today I was well into double figures before noon, many in mint condition!

I decided to leave and go back to Stroud for lunch but not before breaking the 20 mark with the last few individuals, including a mating pair, another species to add to my ‘in-cop list’.

Easily my best encounter with Large Blues !

[trevor]

I must say that full on Purple and open wing Large Blues on the same page is a bit much!

[Wurzel]

I've got a few more to spare yet Bugboy Lovely looking Large Blues, good to hear that you did well for them there as I didn't make it there this year - I would have if the Small Pearls had got a wriggle on and emerged earlier

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Wonderful day's account from Daneway, Paul.

Two things were smart - firstly, going there on an overcast morning to increase the chances of open-wing offerings and secondly, going a little later in the flight period when the more attractive females are there in numbers.

[bugboy]

Sorry Trevor , just the way the days fell
Thanks Wurzel, I missed the SPBF this year, looks like last year’s heatwave largely did for the Sussex Colonies!
Thanks David, but there was nothing smart, just pure luck that the weather turned out perfect on the day I happened to choose!

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June 2023

Saturday 24th cont. After lunch I still had several hours spare before my train home, an option could have been to go for a wander on Rodborough Common, but I’ve done that before and it’s a real hike up the hill, doable in a cool morning, not so much in the heat of the afternoon. I’d also had a healthy dose of Large Blues, so I took the easier option and went for a walk along the Canal towpath. Beautiful Demoiselles were numerous and a single Banded one dropped in for a quick snack.

The canal, at least bit I was on seemed largely unused, and the locks were rather overgrown. Here I found a few Marbled White and some Thymelicus Skippers which on closer inspection turned out to be my first Essex of the year

To make it a hat trick of season firsts for the day a couple of Gatekeeper were also here.

[David M]

...an option could have been to go for a wander on Rodborough Common, but I’ve done that before and it’s a real hike up the hill, doable in a cool morning, not so much in the heat of the afternoon...

Yes, those hills are tough going, Paul. After visiting Daneway a week prior to you, I stopped off at Rodborough but didn't go far down the slope in case I couldn't get up again in the intense heat

Still managed to find a few arion though.